Florence Price International Piano Competition (University of Arkansas) — 2026

A piano competition run by the University of Arkansas and built around the music of Florence Price. It runs in two divisions, a Young Artist division for teenagers and an Artist division for pianists aged 19 to 35, and both require a piece by Price somewhere in the programme. The final round is unusual in that you talk as well as play: a 20-minute recital for Artist entrants and 15 for Young Artists, with up to five minutes of that spent introducing your own choices. Entrants are encouraged to include work they composed or arranged themselves.

Pianists of any nationality can enter. Professionals, pre-professionals and students with formal training are all welcome; previous prizewinners of this competition are not. International finalists arrange their own US visas. The guidelines give the Young Artist age range as 14 to 18 in one line and 15 to 18 in another, so check if you are near the boundary.

There is a USD 125 application fee. The Artist division awards USD 1,000, 700 and 500 plus a separate USD 500 Florence Price prize; the Young Artist division awards USD 500, 350 and 250 plus a USD 250 Price prize. High school juniors and seniors planning to study music at Arkansas may also receive tuition scholarships of USD 4,000 to 6,000 a year, conditional on admission, a 2.75 GPA and faculty approval.

Applying means an unedited video of 10 to 15 minutes with hands and keyboard visible throughout, your contact details, a headshot, a bio of up to 250 words and a CV. A committee invites up to ten pianists per division to Fayetteville for the November final. Jury decisions cannot be contested.